


Family is Complicated

by Descarada



Series: A Backwoods Hogwarts for Wayward Girls [1]
Category: Supernatural, Wayward Sisters (TV)
Genre: Destiel implied, Gen, Not Yet But Stay Tuned, Slow Build Castiel/Dean Winchester
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-07-27
Updated: 2018-07-27
Packaged: 2019-06-17 08:44:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,539
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15457566
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Descarada/pseuds/Descarada
Summary: When a supernatural creature possesses Claire, Cas and Dean come running.  This brush with mortal danger convinces Jody she needs to start a school for hunters.  There's just so much the girls don't know, and who better than Jody to set up a school? She certainly knows plenty of powerful people who can teach the girls how to fight supernatural evil.Bonus: Donna Hanscum meets Castiel, angel of the Lord.This is the first chapter of a work that will focus on the Wayward Sister universe. Cas and Dean will be in the first two chapters here, but I will ultimately spin them off in their own story series back at the bunker with Sammy, and this story will continue focusing on the Wayward Sisters.I have been on AO3 as a reader for years, but this my first fic. So. Be critical but gentle. :D





	Family is Complicated

Jody walked in a small circle around the person handcuffed to the chair in her study. It looked like Claire. It had braided blonde hair and an outfit Claire’s sister had dubbed ‘biker Barbie’ chic. But it was definitely not Claire. The adolescent bravado and every other Claire quality had dissipated. In its place? Something powerful. Some kind of supernatural being had crawled inside of Jody’s young charge. Jody finished circling the creature and hadn’t found any outward injuries. The injuries demon possession left were almost always internal though – to the brain, the psyche. And she figured that’s what they were dealing with. But all Jody could do right now was to make sure the heavily warded handcuffs held and that Claire was physically protected from harm. She just needed to keep Claire alive. Jody stepped in front of the creature and spoke.

“You listen to me, jackass. You hurt Claire and there will be a whole lot of people lining up to kick your ass. She’s precious to me and I’m not the only one.”

“I’m counting on that.” came the voice inside of Claire. “But I'll only talk to Castiel. What's taking him so long? He could have just apparated."

The creature grunted in frustration. He stamped Claire's muddy doc martens on Jody's rug. The sheriff standing by the door touched her holster reflexively. That earned her a chuckle from the creature.

“That gun would only tear a hole in this child’s body and kill her. I’d be fine. I’d find another body to inhabit. Your body maybe.”

“I’m sorry Jody, I wouldn’t shoot her. This thing is just spookin me.”

“I know Donna. It’s fine. Thanks for getting her here in one piece.”

“You betcha.”

 “You could at least offer me a drink.” Said the creature nodding at a bottle of scotch on the study bookshelf. Or you know, read to me. Do you have The Great Gatsby on hand? Now those people knew how to live”.

“You’re hurting someone I love and I’m gonna serve you my best scotch?  Asked Jody. “What are you smoking?”

“We wouldn’t give booze to a minor anyway.” Offered Donna. “What kinda cops do you think we are?”

“Ugh, there is a flaw in my plan after all.” Groaned the creature. “That and being stuck here in this aggressively quaint little farmhouse with you folksy types.”

They heard the noise of an engine pull up in the leafy dirt driveway outside. The heavy door of a 1967 Chevy Impala slammed soon after. The muscles in Jody’s shoulders unknotted just a little, but both women kept their eyes steady on the creature. Within moments, two tall, broad shouldered men burst into the room. Castiel came through the door first, almost ripping it off of its hinges in the process. His expression was deadly calm. His rumpled trenchcoat and equally rumpled dark hair gave the impression he had just tumbled out of a car after a long road trip, which in fact he had. Dean Winchester was right on his heels. Dean’s green eyes glinted and he was almost as terrifying as any superntural creature. He held a jagged demon blade in his hand, ready to kill anything in his way. They stopped a few feet in front of the creature.

Dean pointed the blade at Claire's neck. "I don't know who you are and I don't much care. Get out of the girl."

“Put the blade away, Dean.” Said Castiel, voice gravely and set with determination. “You would only hurt Claire.” Then he fixed his eyes on the creature and flat menace crept into his voice. “Who are you?” He demanded.

“An angel of the Lord taking a drive? Have you lost your powers? Has someone drained your grace?” asked the creature.

Dean pushed the demon blade against Claire’s neck. Cas touched Dean’s hand and gently coaxed him into lowering it. Recognition flitted over the creature’s eyes.

“Oooooh I get it now. God, finally. The angel in the dirty trench coat got his hunter. That’s sweet. Let me guess, Dean Winchester wouldn’t let his angel go alone into danger. It’s nauseating, but I like it. I should have possessed _you_ , Dean.”

“You should have, you son of a bitch. Pick on someone your own size instead of a teenage girl.”

“Well, Cas has some incredibly dysfunctional feelings of fatherly love for his vessel’s child, so I knew this would work. A little weird, right? You kill her father, wear his meat suit, and yet still feel it’s appropriate to show up like ‘Hi, I want to protect you. Don’t mind your father’s face!’”

Cas flushed. “Her father asked to be my vessel. He prayed for it.”

Balthazar continued as though Cas had said nothing at all. “Then you act all adorably flummoxed when it doesn’t work out to plan.” The creature sighed and laughed to himself. “Good old Castiel.”

Cas’s eyes flashed in recognition at the sound of his name. “ _Balthazar_????” he asked.

“Bingo!” said not Claire.

Jody looked across the room to Donna and nodded almost imperceptibly. Donna left the room.

“So you’re not staying then?” called out Balthazar after her.

Dean’s face morphed from fury into solid irritation and he put away the demon blade. Then he reached into the other side of his jacket and slowly unsheathed a much longer, lighter colored blade.”

“No angel blades either.” Said Cas.

Dean slowly returned it to his jacket but kept his hand resting near it.

“Claire agreed to this, Balthazar?” Cas demanded.

“Yes absolutely!” Balthazar seemed offended.

“Did she know exactly what she was signing up for?” asked Cas.

“Why? Are you going to tell on me? You’re wanted too. If Naomi or her minions showed up here, they’d take you right back to angel jail with them. Or just kill you on the spot.”

Dean cut in. “What do you want, you dick.”

It was technically a question but it came out more like a statement. Balthazar kept talking to Cas.

“Cas, brother, you don’t write, you don’t call. You don’t help me get back into heaven. See, this is what happens when you get a boyfriend. You forget your family exists.”

“You betrayed me, why would I speak to you?” asked Cas.

“Well, right now? Because I am in Claire’s body. And I need your help.”

“Leave Claire’s body and then we’ll talk. Then I won’t kill you.” Said Castiel.

“Why are you threatening me? I’m your _actual_ family. And things have dried up for me here on earth. I'm in crisis. Yes, it was great at first. I was enjoying the life of an entrepreneur. Fine clothing, the best booze, and the best cars. Which meant I could also shag just about anyone I wanted. I did choose my vessel well, which also didn’t hurt matters. And yes, there were bad times. But I re-built after you goons wreaked havoc on my life. But things have changed.”

“You ran out of heavenly contraband to sell?”

“Well. Yes.”

“And now you need my help to sneak in a side door, so you can steal more?”

“It sounds so unseemly when you put it that way. I’m just trying to survive. Not all of us have a boyfriend adept at credit card scams, or a comfortable bunker that shuts out the world.”

“Why do you keep saying that?” asked Dean. “Never mind, I just remembered…I don’t care. God, you’re such a douche.”

Jody had been watching intently. At that she rubbed her temples and piped up.

“Balthazar, is it?”

“Charmed.”

“You’re acting like this is a joke. A party trick. But I’ve seen what happens to people possessed by angels. It hollows them out. It makes them vegetables. The longer you’re in there, the more likely she is to slip into a coma and never come out. Killing a child is evil and that’s something you do not come back from. I need you to get the fuck out of my Claire. I swear, if I could strangle you with my bare hands right now I would.” She turned to Cas. “Is this your brother? Seriously? Isn’t there anything you can do to him without hurting Claire?”

Cas replied. “Everything I can do right now would harm Claire. And I don’t know how to get into heaven anymore. They have hidden the entrances from me.”

“What?” said Balthazar. “I don’t believe it.”

“I’ve killed more angels than anyone.” Said Cas his voice dipping into shame.

“Sure, but you’ve always got your groupies. You’re a legend. At least to the idealistic types. Free will, a better heaven, and all that.” He said the world ‘idealistic’ with a hint of pity. “You can’t tell me you don’t have anyone on the inside who can help you out.”

“I don’t, Balthazar.”

“You’re lying. And the longer you make me stay in the girl, the more danger she is in.”

“Why don’t you go to another angel? One that still has access to heaven?” asked Cas. “Why are you wasting my time?”

“They’d kill my vessel without hesitation.” Said Balthazar.

“He’s right they’d kill Claire before he had a sentence out.” Said Dean with disgust.

“Honestly I find all of this hand wringing a bit perplexing.” Said Balthazar. “You and dear Sammy kill human vessels all the time. Constantly. I guess it’s only wrong when you have personal feelings at stake. Duly noted.”

Dean surged forward towards Balthazar and Cas stuck out his arm to stop him.

“I only do it when I don’t have a choice.” Spat Dean.

“I don’t have a choice either. What am I supposed to do, work at Burger King? I’d still need ten roommates to be able to afford a hovel.”

Balthazar tipped Claire’s head back and drew in a deep breath.

“I thought human life was so easy. Turns out its only easy when you have a steady supply of cold hard cash.”

“I did not ask you to burn your bridge back to heaven. That was your choice.” Said Castiel.

“Yes, well. You know what they say about hindsight.” Said Balthazar.

“What?” asked Castiel. “What do they say about hindsight?”

The door to the study burst open again and Donna appeared, eyes wild with panic.

“Leave, Castiel, you need to go! The angels are coming! We summoned them! Poof off! Go away! NOW! You can, right?!”

 

There was a hint of a rustle, and Cas was gone. Everyone looked at the empty space where he stood. Then with a crack, Naomi appeared. Her tailored eggshell pantsuit and her immaculate coif made her look out of place in Jody’s homey cluttered study in South Dakota. Naomi looked like the CEO’s of a fortune 500 company, rather than the big boss of heaven. But somehow it fit. Dean reflexively recoiled. Naomi had tried to kill him many times over. Hell, she had tried to make Cas kill him. She had successfully made Cas beat the crap out of him. So Naomi was one of the people he hated most in the world.  Everything about her infuriated him. The cold impassive way her eyes swept the room. The way she radiated sheer arrogant power. How calm and impersonal she sounded when she talked about murdering him. She took in the entire small study in a matter of moment.

“Castiel isn’t here?” she asked airly. Dean knew she was disappointed.

“You don't get to say his name.” growled Dean. “And you aren’t getting your hands on him.”

“I mean, of course I was told Balthazar was here, but given the location and the company—“ She looked around the room, “ I thought I might get two feathered birds with one stone. Well, there’s always tomorrow. I know the men of letters have a lair. It’s only a matter of time before I find my way in.”

“Lay one finger on him and I will gut you. That’s a promise.” said Dean.

“Hm. We’ll see about that.” Naomi turned her attention to Balthazar. “Warded handcuffs. Clever. And makes my job easy as well.” She stepped forward and touched Claire’s forehead with her fingers. “Unlock them.”

Jody fumbled with her keys and stepped up behind the chair. She put the key in the handcuffs. The second they clicked open, Naomi was gone, and Claire slumped forward in the chair. Donna and Dean both ran to catch her fall.

“Lie her down.” Said Cas. He had appeared again behind them. The rustle was so slight, no one but Dean had noticed it. Donna let out a small shriek.

“Yeah, you don’t really get used to it.” Said Dean.

“I apologize for startling you.” Said Cas. “Please continue.”

Dean helped Donna scoop Claire up and lay her on the sofa. They laid her over a bit to one side so Cas could sit next to her. He leaned over Claire and the lines seemed to settle into his face as he looked at her. He brushed her hair aside. Then touched her forehead in the same way Naomi had, but tenderly. There was a brief glow. He closed his eyes. After a few moments he opened them. Everyone else seemed to be holding their breath.

“I have healed what I can. It seems like this is her first possession, so there wasn’t much damage relatively speaking. She just needs rest. I made sure she was comfortable enough to sleep for a while. She will completely recover with time and care.”

Sighs of relief came from the others. Jody and Donna hugged.

“We’ll take care of her. We even have a nurse on the premises.” Said Jody.

“Who?” asked Dean.

“Alex finished nursing school this past month. She’s already got a job at Sioux Falls Regional.” Said Jody. She pulled out her phone and showed Dean her screensaver – it was Alex in a graduation gown with Jody, Donna, and Claire crowded around her with huge smiles holding bouquets.

“Good for her.” Said Dean. “Someone around here has to clean up after our messes.”

“Hey.” Said Jody. “Don’t listen to Balthazar. You and Sam are doing good work. You’re helping people.”

“Some days it’s hard to tell.” Said Dean.

“Come here.” Said Jody. She brought Dean in for a hug. Then she held him at arm’s reach assessing him.

“You look exhausted. You can’t just jump back into the car without sleeping. You’ll end up dead in a ditch.”

“I could use 3 or 4 hours.” Dean allowed, rubbing the stubble on his jaw.

“It’s decided then. First, I’m going to go tell the girls Claire is ok. Kaia is losing her mind. Then I’ll set you two up with a room.”

“A. Room? The same one?” asked Dean.

Jody gave him a look. “Seriously? I have all these girls here, how many rooms do you think this house has? Does it look like the Hilton to you? Will you be expecting room service and a turn down?”

“Oh right. Ok. Of course.” Said Dean.

“We will leave in the morning though.” Said Cas. “I know my presence causes Claire pain. I don’t want to make matters worse.”

“She loves you.” Said Jody kindly. “But it is complicated. You’re literally in her father’s body.”

“And I’m the reason he’s dead.” Said Cas.

“She knows it’s not that simple. But knowing something and feeling it is two different things. It’s just rough. Grief. Loss. It doesn’t just go away.” Jody unconsciously fingered the locket around her neck.

“If anyone understands family and the suckiness of losing them, it’s us.” Said Dean. “We gotta get back fast anyway. We left Sammy in the middle of a case. So we’ll get rest and head out first thing.”

“Ok, sounds good. Donna, after I talk to the girls, can you help me move Claire to the bed in her room?”

“Sure thing.”

Jody left the study. Donna turned to Castiel.

“I am Sheriff Donna Hanscum. Pleased to meet ya.” She held out her hand.

“Oh right! You two haven’t met yet.” Said Dean.

Castiel reached out and shook her hand. “I’m Castiel. Most people call me Cas. You can call me whatever you prefer.”

Donna eyed him approvingly. “Ooo, you have pretty eyes. I didn’t know eyes came that blue. Dean didn’t tell me you were so dreamy.”

Cas looked stricken as he tried to think of an appropriate response. Dean smiled gleefully. “You know, Charlie called you dreamy too, buddy. Looks like the ladies appreciate you. There’s no accounting for taste I guess.”

Cas turned to Donna. “I. Um. Appreciate you too.”

Donna belly laughed and slapped him on the shoulder. “You’re a hoot.”

She turned her attention to Dean. “I already have dibs on the couch. I’m staying to help with Claire. So you can sleep on the floor if you’re really too good to share a room with this guy.” Her eyes sparkled with mischief. “But me? I’d jump at the chance. Would you rather me share the room with you, Castiel?” She teased.

Cas flushed pink.

“I’m just kiddin. I want to be right outside of Claire’s room. So you're stuck with the hottie here. But! On the plus side, I’ll be up with the sun and make sure you two get on the road with full stomachs. I make a mean bacon and egg breakfast. ” She smiled cheerily, dimples flashing.

"Wait." said Dean. "So which one of us is the hottie?"

Donna laughed. Just then Jody returned to the room carrying sheets, blankets and pillows. She put them into Dean and Castiel’s arms.

“Ok guys. I have an idea. Can I bounce if off of you?” she asked.

“Of course, Jody, shoot.” Said Dean.

“So. Balthazar was able to trick Claire into giving consent for him to use her body. I mean, she couldn’t have understood the implications.”

“Agreed.” Said Cas.

“And I was thinking. I know Claire is really tough, and she’s already an impressive hunter. But there is just so much she can’t know yet. I mean, magic, lore, ancient languages, all the different creatures that exist and how to spot them.”

“And gank them.” Said Dean.

“And not be possessed by them.” Said Donna.

“Right. The knowledge you get from just hunting anything that goes bump in the night for years and years…it’s madness to send them out there without it.”

“Well, you don’t exactly send her out there, Jody. You tell her not to. She just does it anyway.” Said Donna.

“Yeah, but I need to accept that’s gonna happen. You can’t control teenagers, and you can’t protect everyone all the time. They have to be able to protect themselves.”

“Ain’t that the truth.” Said Dean.

“So. Maybe this sounds weird, but what if I started a school.”

“A school?” asked Cas.

“Yes. Like. A class for hand to hand combat. A class on research. One on magic. One on hacking and technology. Think about all the expertise that goes into a successful mission. You know, one where we get back in a single piece.”

“Who would teach at a school like that?” asked Cas.

“Well, I know people with all kinds of special expertise.”

“Not it.” Said Dean. “I think it’s a great idea, but I’m a hunter, not a babysitter.”

“I wouldn’t expect you to. Hell I wouldn’t want you to. But think about it. Charlie? I mean, she’s a hunter but she doesn’t have a brother, or—“ she looked at Cas, “family. Like you do. I bet she’d thrive with a mission like that. Or Eileen!”

“Good luck prying her and Sam apart.”

“Oooohhh, I didn’t know that.” said Jody. “Good for them. But a girl needs more than a hunter boyfriend. She needs a mission. So how about this.” Said Jody, her voice rising with excitement. “Our teachers could also be a response team. They could take cases you can’t get to, and teach the girls.”

“Like some kinda backwoods Hogwarts for wayward girls.” Said Dean.

Jody looked at Dean quizzically.

“Sammy wouldn’t stop bugging me until I read Harry Potter. It got to be less trouble just to read them.”

“This is so exciting.” Said Donna. “I could teach investigating. And I could learn everything else. You know, it felt pretty good summoning that angel today. I think I could get the hang of this.”

“Ok. Donna and I will get to work on this. I just wanted to know I wasn’t crazy.”

“Well.” Said Donna. “Nobody said that.”

Jody nudged her and laughed.

“Ok. We can talk about this more later. Let’s get our sleeping beauty moved to her room. Oh and don’t let me forget to grab that grumpy cat stuffed animal thingie she loves. I just finished washing it.”

Cas opened his mouth and closed it. Dean put his hand on Cas’s shoulder and squeezed. 

“Alrighty let’s do it.” Said Donna. Jody helped put Claire back in Donna's arms, then stood by the door to help get her through without any bumps. As Donna maneuvered through the doorway with Claire’s head nestling on her shoulder, she said without looking back “If you boys need any help in there tonight, let me know!”

“That’s my girl.” Said Jody. “Always makin it awkward.”

\---


End file.
